Silent Language Veils Schemes of Ball Teams
Signal System Is Used on Offense and Defense
By “Rube” Marquard.
IN any game or competition where
more than one person is involved
on each side harmony will prove
one of the principal points of strength.
,The college crew pulls together on its
stroke, so that every ounce of power
may be put to the very best advan
tage.
So with a baseball nine. All must
"pul!” together, which involves a lot
more than appears on the surface.
Every man must be not only willing
to bear his personal share of the work
but eager, as well, to lend every pos
sible ‘assistance to his fellow players.
A chain is no stronger than its
weakest link. A baseball team may
be stronger than its weakest player,
but not unless the inferior athlete is
given the support and co-operation of
that superior skill about him. A span
of light, spirited horses can accom
plish more in one day than two bulky
teams in a day and a half. A "bush
league” team, welded together In
common interest and single purpose,
will outplay a galaxy of the greatest
major league stars working only for
individual aims. It is simply a matter
united.
The successful manager maintains
perfect working harmony among his
charges. The individual pales into'
insignificance before the cause. Petty
spites and prejudices that often crop
out among players of the best known
teams must all be laid aside when the
athletes are in uniform.
Few Know Signal System.
Because of the fact that it is abso
lutely necessary to have thorough un
derstanding on plans of attack and
defense, as well as to hide the same
from the opposing side, it has been
found necessary to employ a secret,
silent language for baseball purposes.
Fandom believes Itself reasonably
familiar with the "signal” system of
baseball. Yet very few outside the
profession have more than a hazy
idea of what it implies.
I think a great deal of charm would
be added if the spectator knew what
was being attempted In every case.
How often the unsophisticated judge
plays wrongly.
"What kind of baseball is that, you
bonehead,” they rave, mistaking a
hit and run play for an attempted
steal The poor catcher is roasted for
pegging to center field when it is the
fault of the second baseman or short
stop in ''muffing” the sign to cover.
The pitcher is execrated for an "al
leged" wild pitch when probably the
catcher has ‘‘crossed’* him on signals.
There would be less misplaced criti
cism if it were possible for the crowd
to be in on the "inside stuff.” That,
of course, is impossible, sos a signal
system has to be so mysterious as to
fool an opposing team well versed in
the at of the sign language. It
wouldn't go very far to doing this if it
didn't fool the fans.
There is nothing terribly compli
cated in major league baseball signals.
Os course a great deal of responsibil
ity for .tin is proper application rests
with the hatte-y. The signals are
divided into two gene al classes —de-
fensive and offensive. The pitcher
and catcher are most personally con
cerned in the defensive signs.
Catcher Must Direct Play.
The catcher shoulder- the gravest
responsibility on the team Then his
side is on the defensive. He not only
supports the pitcher, but the entire
cast as well. He has the field of play
laid out right before him and he has
to watch that entire field for himself,
and for the pitcher, too. If three men
are on base. say. the catcher has to
watch every base, so that if a fielder
can -neak in behind some one napping
a throw may be made in time to catch
him off his guard.
We’ll talk first about the battery
signals, tin them depends the de
fensive strength of a team. They mask
battery efficiency and at the same
time coach the supporting cast in
proper defensive formation.
For instance, I am pitching to a
left-handed battery. If I throw my fast
ball to him he will naturally hit late
at it. Consequently, if it goes to fair
territory, it will go to the left field
side. Now every one knows that the
general tendency of a left-handed hit
ter is to "pull” the ball into right field.
Consequently, to cross this fellow we
give him the "smoke" bally in the
pinch. If we give him something he
likes and trust m luck when nothing
is at stake the fielders till know what
the pitch will be and they plant them
seves accordingly.
It is as natural for a right-handed
hitter to hit toward left field and for
a left-handed hitter to hit toward right
field as it is for a duck to take to the
water.
There are some few notable excep
tions, of course. Hans Wagner, a
right-handed swatter, is as likely to
pull it to left. Cobb, a left-handed
J. J. Brown has adopted
The Albany Heranl’s slogan
“Hog, hominy and hay,’’ as
one of his planks in his race
for commissioner of agri
culture;
$2.50 Chattanooga and
return via Southern Rail
way, Saturday, August 24.
• Tickets on sale for 3 p. m.
and 5:10 p. m. trains. Good
to return from Chattanooga
any train following date of
sale or morning trains leav
ing Chattanooga Monday,
August 26.
SOUTHERN RAILWAY.
hitter, can place his hits on most any
sort of delivery.
Knowing the general laws of hitting
ethics the fielders station themselves
accordingly. Every man <m the team
knows just what sort of ball is going
to be served the batsman. When the
battery agrees one of the infielders
down around second catches the sign
from the backstop. He flashes it to
the rest of the infield and to the out
field. Sometimes you will see the in
field or outfield switch suddenly after
the pitcher assumes a pitching po
sition. It is because such a pitch is
forthcoming that if the player con
nects the ball is almost bound to
travel in a certain direction. In other
words, the pitcher is playing for a
batter's weakness.
The pitcher and catcher mpst have
absolute confidence in one another.
Each depends upon the other like a
building on its foundation. The catch
er, having the play always before his
eyes, must keep the pitcher posted as
to the situations of base runners. If
the catcher thinks a runner ha<= strayed
too far from his base he signals the
pitcher. The particular baseman guard
ing the terri.ory involved must get that
sign at the same time. He rushes to
ward the bag; the pitcher, after a cer
tain specified wait—while he counts
three, for instance—whips the ball
blindly to that cushion. If all three—
catcher, pitcher and baseman —have
calculated to a fine mathematical pre
cision, the base runner may- be caught
napping. If any one falls down a most
damaging error is likely to result.
Pitcher at Fault Sometimes.
I’nless one fully appreciates the play
contemplated, it is impossible to fix re
sponsibility of many a "bone.” The
backstop always is charged with bases
stolen by rival clubs, when maybe half
the time it is the pitcher’s fault in not
holding the men to their stations. The
greatest catcher in the world can not
stop a fast man who gets a good start
on a slow delivery.
Directly upon the cunning of signals
depends in a great measure the suc
cess of "inside” baseball. I’ll illustrate
with a few examples.
A fast man is on third base with one
or none out and one run needed badly.
A scientific hitter is up. Naturally, the
infield is drawn in for a play- at the
plate. The batter takes a swing at the
ball as if trying for a long fly. That
“Moriarity” may he only a ruse to catch
the infleld napping. Perhaps the bat
ter intentionally missed his swing with
the idea of attempting the "squeeze”
play on the next pitch. And he may
get away with it, too.
The hit and run play is one that de
pends for success upon the clever exe
cution of some fixed idea. In this play
the runner starts with the pitch and
the batter is supposed to hit through
the infield. When the runner starts one
of the guardians of second base natur
ally races over to take the throw from
the catcher. The batter's plan is to hit
through the place where that base
guardian should be.
It's simple enough if the battery
guesses out the hit and run properly.
All that is necessary then is a pitch
out that the batter can not possibly
molest, and the runner is flagged. But
on the other hand, if it proves a bluff
and the runner does not really go, a
pitch-out puts the hoxman in a bad way.
The real good catchers are the ones
that do not ask for too many- pitch-
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ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21. 1912.
outs, the ones who are game enough
to take a chance of handling a "groove"
ball with all the stuff the pitcher can
put on it.
The team on offense has its strategy
to offset the defensive side. No hit and
run play is ever attempted without the
batter and base runner being in per
fect accord. If the batter is a right
field hitter he knows that the opposing
shortstop will doubtless move over for
the throw when the runner breaks for
second. He gives the opposition credit
for enough sense to believe that the
second baseman will remain where the
ball is likely to be hit.
Now, the batter will try to pull or
push his grounder through short, the
unprotected territory. If the battery
happens to cross him with a pitch-out.
the batter must always protect the base
runner, if possible, by fouling the ball
even if he has to throw his bat at It.
provided, the runner has not such a
break in bis favor as to merit belief
that he will be able to steal successfully.
CAROLINA ASSOCIATION.
Games Today.
Greensboro in Greenville.
Spartanburg in Charlotte.
Anderson in Winston-Salem.
Standing of the Clubs.
w. 1,, p.c. w L. p.c.
A ders’n 60 .38 .612 Sp'b'rg 48 50 .490
W.-S'm 56 4.3 .566 G’sboro 43 53 148
C'rlotte 53 43 .552 G nville S 3 66 .3.33
Yesterday's Results.
Greensboro 8. Greenville .3
Winston-Salem 5. Anderson 4.
Spartanburg 6. Charlotte 1.
VIRGINIA LEAGUE.
Games Todjiy.
Roanoke in Norfolk.
Richmond tn Portsmouth
Newport News in Petersburg.
Standing of the Clubs.
W. L. P.C. I w. L. P.C.
P'Sb’rg 68 44 .607 R'hm'd 55 58 .487
R'anoke 54 49 .524 P'sm'th 47 53 .470
Norfolk 56 54 .509 | N. N'ws 43 65 .398
Yesterday's Results.
Richmond 2, Portsmouth 1.
Newport News 10. Petersbttrg 5.
Roanoke 5, Norfolk 4.
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Baltimore in Rochester.
Providence in Montreal.
Newark in Buffalo,
only games scheduled.
Standing of the Clubs.
W. L. P C W. L. P C.
Roch. .72 45 .615 .1. Citv. 58 62 .483
Toronto 70 50 .583 Buffalo . 53 64 .453
B'more. 61 57 .517 Mntreal 55 68 .447
NWark. 60 60 .500 i P'dence. 48 71 .403
Yesterday's Results.
Rochester 10, Baltimore 8 (first game.)
Rochester 3. Baltimore 1 (second game.)
Newark 13. Buffalo 2 (first game.)
Newark 4. Buffalo 1 (second game.)
Toronto 6, Jersey City 3.
Montreal 7. Providence 3.
J. J. Brown is a practical,
progressive farmer. Vote
for him for commissioner of
agriculture.
I wear no man’s collar.
Vote for me for commis
sioner of agriculture. J. J.
Brown.
FOUND If you lose anything, and will
advertise it here, you will surely recover
it if found by an honest person A three
time ad seldom fails. Remarkable recov
eries are brought about every day
through this column.
MARTIN MAY NT
' 19% PEACHTREE STREET X
UPSTAIRS
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
UNREDEEMED PLEDGES y
FOR SALE A
You must not get -the idea that the
signal system involves any great com
plication of signs. It is simplicity it
self. There are just four battery signs
—one for a curve ball, one for a fast
ball, one for a pitch-out and another for
a toss to a baseman to catch a
"sleeper.”
All the signals the stands ever no
tice are those employed by the battery,
and they don't get those, for the catcher
conceals them always. The. offensive
signs are given by manager,, coacher,
batter or base runner in such a clever
fashion that no <>ne but his team mates
are a bit the wise). A player wipes his
shirt breast with his knuckles. That
may be the sign for a hit and run or
any one of half a dozen other plays.
The same with scratching his head, ut
tering some phrase, squatting in a cer
tain position, shifting the hands or feet.
The batter taps the plate with his bat a
couple of times, puts dust on his hands
or draws a line in the dirt. These ac
tions may or may not be signals. The
clever players are the ones that so
mask their signs as to keep the oppo
sition always in doubt.
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ATLANTA TO PENSACOLA
AND RETURN via
The WEST POINT ROUTE
Tickets on sale every Thursday up to
and including August 22, 1912. Return
limit ten days.
Sleeping cars, dining cars, coaches.
Call at Ticket Offices. Fourth Natlona*
R ank Bldg, an d Te rm Ina I St all on.
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HOTELS AND RESORTS.
Ocean View Hotel
Pablo Beach. Florida.
After August ’B, Until Close of the Season
Will Put On the Following Special Rates
.‘U» Desirable Rooms, European Plan.
I »ailv rate: SI.OO, one ppraon; $1.50, two
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Wf'pklx ratp $5.00, ono person; $8 00,
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THE BASEBALL CARD.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Atlanta in Birmingham.
Memphis in Mobile
Chattanooga in Montgomery.
Nashville in New- Orleans
Standing of the Clubs.
W. L PC. ' W. L. P.C.
B ham. .70 45 .610 I Mont. . .55 59 .482
Mobile .65 51 .560 M’mphis 53 58 377
N. Or. .58 53 523 Nash. . 52 60 .464
C nooga 52 55 .486 j Atlanta .43 67 .391
Yesterday's Results.
Birmingham 11. Atlanta 3
Mobile 2. Memphis 0.
Montgomery 1. Chattanooga 1.
Nashville 2. New Orleans 0.
SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Albany in Columbus.
Savannah in Columbia.
Macon in Jacksonville.
Standing of the Clubs.
. w. 1,, p.c I w i,. p.c.
S'v'n'h 28 17 .622 | Macon 22 25 468
C'mbus 28 17 .622 Alhanv 17 29 370
J'nville 27 20 .574 I C'mbia 17 31 .354
Yesterday's Results.
Savannah 3, Columbia 0.
Jacksonville 8. Macon 4
Columbus 4, Albany 2.
Western League.
Denver 10, Des Moines fl.
Topeka-St. Joseph; rain.
Wichita 2. Omaha 0.
Lincoln 4, Sioux City .3
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Correct Proverb Solutions
Picture No. 33 Picture No. 34
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let.evE.NJrM ctN-t U fv< fjOygH broad OAtlicht) k Sells FbR
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What can the virtues oi uur ancestors profit us, Lean iikrh is better Ilian fat slavery,
if we do not imitate iliem
AMERICAN LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Chicago in Philadelphia.
St. Louis in New York.
Detroit in W ashington.
Cleveland in Boston.
Standing of the Clubs.
„ \V. L. PC. I \v. L. P.C.
Boston . .9 35 .693 I Detroit . 55 62 .470
Wash. ..71 44 .619 j C'land. .51 63 .147
Phila. .67 46 .593 ’ N. York 39 73 348
Chicago .57 56 .504 | s. Louis 37 77 .325
Yesterday’s Results.
Boston 6, Detroit 2.
St. Louis 4. New York 3 (first game. 4
New York 2. St. Louis 1 (second game.)
Chicago 6, I’hiktdelphia 1 (first game t
Chicago Philadelphia 2 (second garnet
WashingtoQ 4. Cleveland 2 (first game 1
Washington 2, Cleveland 0 (second
game.)
NATIONAL LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Brooklyn in Pittsburg.
Standing of the Clubs.
W L. P.4'. , W L P.C
N York 77 31 .71.3 C'nati. .53 60 .169
Chicago .73 38 .658 S. Louis 50 63 412
P'burg. .66 43 .606 1 B'klyn . 40 72 .357
Phila . 53 57 .482 ’ Boston . 31 79 .282
Yesterday's Results.
New York 5. St. Louis 1
Pittsburg 3, Brooklyn 2 (first game )
Brooklyn 9. Pittsburg 1 (second game.)
Cincinnati 4. Boston 0 (first game.)
Boston 4. Cincinnati 1 (second game.)
Chicago 6, Philadelphia 1 (first game.)
Chicago 10. Philadelphia 3 (second
game. >
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.
Games Today.
(’olumbus in St. Paul.
Toledo in Minneapolis.
Indianapolis in Kansas City.
Louisville in Milwaukee.
Standing of the Clubs.
W. L. P C. I W. L. PC.
M'apolis 83 47 .639 ! M'w’kee 61 67 .477
I - bus. . 8.3 18 .634 | S. Paul. 57 77 .426
Toledo. 78 50 .609 L'ville. .49 79 383
K. City. 62 66 .484 I l apolis. 47 86 .353
Yesterday's Results.
Milwaukee 2, Louisville 0 (first game.)
Milwaukee 7, Louisville 0 (second game)
Minneapolis 4, Toledo 3.
Columbus 10. St. Paul 5.
Kansas City-Indianapolis, wet grounds.
APPALACHIAN LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Asheville in Knoxville.
Bristol in Morristown
Johnson City in Cleveland.
Standing of the Clubs.
W. L. P.C. | w. L. P.C.
Bristol 49 33 .596 C'vTd 41 41 .500
K xville 45 40 .529 i A'eville 38 48 .442
’ J. Cit( 42 38 .525 I M'town 34 49 .410
Yesterday’s Results.
Bristol 6. Morristown 0.
Johnson City 8, Cleveland 5.
Asheville 5. Knoxville 3
Texas League.
Galveston 3. San Antonio 1.
Austin 5. Waco 1.
Dallas 4. Fort Worth 3.
Houston 1. Beaumont 0 (first game).
Houston 6. Beaumont 1 (second game).
7
